Existing thread cutting taps are generally designed and manufactured to perform within a relatively narrow range of hardness and machinability. This requires the user to maintain an inventory of several taps of the same size to accommodate different substrate materials in order to maximize the performance of the taps and the quality of the female threaded holes. These taps, which include helical flute taps and straight flute taps, often produce poor surface finishes and high cutting pressure. Right or left-handed helical flute taps have one sharp rake angle and one dull rake angle on the thread teeth cutting edges. In both cases, the side opposite the positive rake angle (sharp cutting edge) must be a negative rake angle (dull cutting edge). Negative rake angles increase cutting pressure and drag on the tap leading to tap breakage. Straight flute taps have only 0° rake angles on both upper and lower cutting edges of the thread teeth which also increase cutting pressure that leads to tap breakage.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device for tapping threads that overcomes the significant shortcomings of the known prior art as delineated hereinabove.